CGTN reported on the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, highlighting the signing of the Treaty of Permanent Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation between China and five Central Asian nations. The report emphasized their joint dedication to strengthening partnerships through the Belt and Road Initiative to foster shared growth and regional collaboration.
BEIJING, June 18, 2025 — The second China-Central Asia Summit marked a historic occasion as it was hosted in a Central Asian country for the first time. Leaders from China and five Central Asian nations convened in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Tuesday for the event.
At the summit, the six nations achieved a new milestone by signing the Treaty of Permanent Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation.
Chinese President Xi Jinping stated in his keynote address that the treaty aims to legally solidify the principle of enduring friendship between the countries.
“It is a milestone for today and a foundation for tomorrow,” Xi remarked while addressing the summit, which saw the attendance of the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
Upholding the China-Central Asia Spirit
Xi Jinping underscored the China-Central Asia Spirit on Tuesday, characterized by mutual respect, trust, benefit, and assistance, all geared towards jointly pursuing modernization through high-quality development.
China initially proposed the establishment of a China-Central Asia mechanism in 2020. Subsequently, in 2022, the countries suggested elevating the mechanism to the level of heads of state during a virtual summit commemorating the 30th anniversary of their diplomatic ties.
This proposition came to fruition at the inaugural China-Central Asia Summit in Xi’an in 2023, where leaders decided that the high-level meeting would occur biennially, alternating between China and the Central Asian nations.
Xi Jinping noted that the consensus reached at the first summit has been comprehensively implemented over the past two years. He added that cooperation is steadily expanding, and friendship is growing stronger.
A recent CGTN poll revealed that 90 percent of respondents believe the China-Central Asia mechanism serves as a framework for both sides to pursue stability, development, and future-oriented cooperation, rather than fostering rivalry or competition.
To date, China has forged comprehensive strategic partnerships, signed Belt and Road cooperation agreements, and realized the vision of building a community with a shared future at the bilateral level with each of the five Central Asian countries.
Sun Weidong, secretary-general of the Secretariat of the China-Central Asia Mechanism, emphasized that this fully demonstrates the high degree of strategic mutual trust and the unwavering commitment to deepening mutually beneficial cooperation.
High-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative
During the Astana summit, Xi Jinping urged the participating nations to act in accordance with the China-Central Asia Spirit, strengthen cooperation with renewed energy and more practical approaches, advance high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and strive towards establishing a community with a shared future for the region.
It was in Astana back in 2013 that Xi Jinping initially presented his vision for collectively building the Silk Road Economic Belt, a key element of the BRI.
Through this initiative, China and the region have witnessed strong collaboration in trade, the digital economy, and connectivity. China has emerged as the region’s leading trading partner and a significant source of investment. Data from the General Administration of Customs indicates that trade between China and Central Asia reached a record $94.8 billion in 2024, with China’s total investment in the region surpassing $30 billion.
According to the CGTN poll, 92.4 percent of respondents agree that the BRI is a vital international public asset that bolsters high-level cooperation between China and Central Asia.
Xi Jinping called on China and Central Asia on Tuesday to refine their cooperation framework to enhance its results-orientation, efficiency, and integration.
He stressed the need to focus cooperation on facilitating smooth trade, industrial investment, connectivity, green mining, agricultural modernization, and people-to-people exchanges, as well as to implement more projects on the ground.
To further promote relevant cooperation, Xi Jinping announced China’s decision to establish three cooperation centers focusing on poverty reduction, educational exchange, and desertification prevention and control, alongside a cooperation platform for smooth trade.
Cui Zheng, director of the Research Center for Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asian Countries at Liaoning University, underscored the importance of the cooperation model in light of the current international environment in a CGTN opinion piece.
Cui Zheng stated that in a global landscape characterized by increasing protectionism, the China-Central Asia partnership embodies a new paradigm of diplomatic engagement – one that respects independence, promotes mutual benefit, and amplifies the voice of the Global South.
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